Mobile Police Jurisdiction To Expand?

Those opposed to the City of Mobile annexation plan have widened their campaign.
Next month, people who live in parts of Theodore, Tillman's Corner and Semmes will vote for or against the plan.
The vote is set for Tuesday, October 7.
Thursday night, a group of Mobile County leaders spoke to people in Irvington and told them sales taxes at local businesses would go up from seven and a half percent to nine percent if annexation passes in Theodore.
The reason: Irvington would become part of a newly expanded police jurisdiction.
State Representative Spencer Collier of Mobile said, "If this annexation is successful, it will push the police jurisdiction an additional three miles and the planning jurisdiction an additional five miles. As far as the planning jurisdiction, any long term planning, development, residential developments, farmland, subdivision, would have to be approved by the city of Mobile."
Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran used to be the city of Mobile's police chief.
Cochran said, "I also know that they have fewer officers on the department today than they did six months ago. Now, are they going to take away from my protection in the city of Mobile or they're going to mislead you in the police jurisdiction?"
But people who live in Irvington won't be able to vote in the annexation election.
Mobile County Commissioner Mike Dean told people at the meeting, "You need to take time to go the city council. You need to take time to voice your opinion. You may even put a lawsuit that you didn't have a right to vote for your taxes going up."
When told about Thursday night's meeting, a spokesperson for the office of Mobile Mayor Sam Jones said people in the annexation vote areas approached the city asking to be part of it, and annexation is necessary as Mobile is the economic hub of the area.